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| MUNICIPAL TRAGEDY | | Gutter gas leak takes over dozen school children ill, one serious | |
DyCM orders inquiry
SUMIT SHARMA
Jammu, Feb 5- At least fifteen school children of SM Jain Higher Secondary school Rani park area in old city were hospitalized here today when they inhaled poisonous gas leaked from the septic tank in the vicinity of the school premises. They were first taken to GMC hospital and after medical treatment they were shifted to SMGS hospital where condition of one child identified as Sourabh, class 5th student is stated to be critical.
Meanwhile, ln the instructions of Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Tara Chand, the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu has ordered an enquiry into the alleged negligence on part of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) for keeping the gutter uncovered near Jain School, Rani Park, Jammu, as a result of which a number of students of the school have fallen ill, because of emanating foul smell.
Various dignitaries including health minister Shyam Lal, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Pawan Kotwal and outgoing Div Com Sudanshu Panday and Mayor Kavinder Gupta were reached on the spot to apprise their condition.
Timely action by the local police authorities saved the situation as unconscious school children were rushed to the Government medical college premises for medical treatment.
Trouble started around 10.45 am when students of class 5th located on the first floor of the school premises started vomiting and complained uneasiness and fainted.
The school authorities without wasting any time flashed an alert message and with help from Dy SP City Swatantra Arora and SHO Pacca Danga Raguveer Singh along with police team school children were rushed to the emergency block of the government medical college hospital. In the hospital school children said that they were studying when they noticed movement of cleaning van of the Jammu Municipal Corporation which is normally used for cleaning of septic tanks. The school children said after some time few students in the class reported uneasiness as cleaning operations started within next few minutes. Majority of the students started feeling uneasy and few started vomiting when the class teacher sounded an alarm, class 5th student undergoing medical treatment said. Doctors said that students were suffering from dysenoea and nausea due to in haling of methane and hydro sulphide gases. DC Sharma, principal of the school said “I went to the municipal employees who were cleaning the septic tank and apprised them the students’ condition but they without caring carry with their work”.
Large number of parents of school children also rushed to the hospital to enquire well being of their children. After preliminary investigations the school children were shifted to the SMGS hospital on Shalimar road.
On inquiry it was revealed that the poisonous gas was leaked while Municipality van was carrying out cleaning operation in the nearby house adjacent to the school building. The senior police officer present in the hospital Swatantra Arora said that case of criminal negligence would be booked against the violators. He said the staff of Jammu Municipality should have taken necessary precautions before starting the cleaning operations keeping in mind the densely populated area. He informed that a case against municipal employee identified as Sansar Chand has been registered in Pacca Danga Police station.
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